Flinch Only a Little

In his sixth book of poems, Charles Bachman, with an imagination that knows no limits and sharp eloquence of language, presents a fascinating variety, including more memories of his Iowa childhood, nature in its menacing and its beneficent aspects, as well as wildly experimental graphic effects and continued word inventions a la Lewis Carroll's Jabberwocky. The mixed comedic/serious tone of the title indicates the overall tomes of the book: whimsical and surrealistically farcical, serious and respectful, sensitive and gritty in facing whatever comes along. With each new volume, his stylistic control becomes more adept--whether it takes the form of a George Hebert-structured metaphysical poem, or of much freer verse. Part of his strength as a poet is that he really "goes his own way," not following any poetic fashions or trends.